221 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
^September 8, 1900. 
and four flowers. The latter are tubular and 
expanding upwards in a bell-shaped form. The 
interior is pure white, presenting a beautiful contrast 
with the rich brown anthers and orange-yellow 
stigma. The back of three outer segments and the 
midrib of the inner series are tinted with a rich 
purplish-brown colour, thus making a very 
striking flower. The linear-lanceolate leaves 
increase in length from the base of the stem to the 
uppermost ones which are close to the flowers. The 
latter assume a nodding position when expanded. 
The late Dr. Wallace wrote the book entitled 
Notes on Lilies, and which is a mine of information 
upon this noble genus of plants. The species under 
notice is hardy and may be flowered in the open, 
but it is also admirably adapted for pot culture and 
conservatory dr greenhouse decoration. 
SPANISH IRISES. 
The Spanish Irises, otherwise known as June and 
Juno Irises, have all arisen by variation from Iris 
Xiphion, one of the bulbous species of this genus. 
These variations are remarkable both for their 
number and the striking diversities of colour 
presented by the same. The whole flower is smaller, 
with narrower segments than those of the English 
Iris, and the blossoms appear a fortnight earlier in 
the open ground when both types are grown under 
the same conditions. They do not clash with each 
other therefore, so that Spanish and English Irises 
have equal claims for recognition on those lines. 
The upright segments are spoken of as standards, 
while the drooping ones are termed falls. These 
respective portions of the flower are usually of 
different colours. Thus, we may have Spanish 
Irises having china-white, violet, full yellow, rich 
dark azure, rosy-purple or sapphire-blue standards, 
with, at the same time, snowy white, azure-blue, 
deep golden yellow, Cambridge-blue, yellow with 
orange blotch,and white and orange falls respectively, 
all in half a dozen varieties. We are not at all 
surprised therefore at their popularity with gardeners 
and the flower-loving public generally. Their 
cultivation is of the easiest, whether grown in pots or 
planted out in greenhouses or in the open border. 
The latter method gives the best results with the 
least trouble, and is, therefore, most often adopted 
by gardeners in private establishments. The flowers 
are lovely in the cut state for vases, bouquets and 
various other methods of decoration. The accom¬ 
panying illustration placed in our hands by Messrs. 
Barr & Sons, King Street, Covent Garden, shows the 
habit and general contour of both plant and flowers. 
Those who have not yet given these Spanish Irises a 
trial should do so this coming season. OTT 
Plants for winter blooming must by caretul atten¬ 
tion be encouraged to grow freely while yet the days 
are long and warm. Some may need a shift to a 
larger pot. Others may be nourished and benefited 
by the application of manurial liquid. But the 
winter blooming plants flower much better and more 
freely if their wood growth is well firmed, not to say 
ripened. Winter flowering Begonias should not be 
rushed on ; and Justicias, Poinsettias, Browallias, 
and other things, likewise require to be brought on 
slowly. The wood should be built up firmly and 
well. 
Besides plants for the stages, the climbers must 
not be forgotton. Euphorbia jacquiniaeflora does 
well when planted out in a border, a small indoor 
rockery for instance. Passiflora racemosa, and 
Ipomo;a digitata, I. Horsfalliae, and other things 
may be watched and kept growing in the meantime. 
Tillandsias are remarkable plants in their way, 
and if anyone has a stock in hand, they will find it a 
help to maintain a rather high temperature, a nroist 
atmosphere, and a fair amount of shade. They like 
a peaty compost, but the best colour is obtained 
when they are infrequently shifted. 
Flowering Plants for Christmas should be 
placed more in a position where they can receive the 
attention they will require. Some of the best are 
Azalea Deutsche Perle, Begonia Gloire de Sceaux, 
Richardia africana, which may shortly be brought 
from the open ; also Cyclamen latifolium, Chinese 
aod Star Primulas, Cinerarias, Zonals, Heliotropes 
Statice profusa, Clivias, Roman Hyacinths, Paper- 
white Narcissus, &c. There was some question 
about the probability of having Freesias in flower at 
Christmas when I mentioned the fact last year, but 
they can be had. Choose the finest and best 
matured corms, and pot them into 5-in. pots, using a 
friable loamy mixture. Place the pots in a corner 
of a pit having a temperature of 55 0 as a minimum, 
and 6o° during the day. Cover the pots over with 
cocoanut fibre, and keep them no more than damp. 
When growth has started place them in a house with 
a minimum temperature of 6o° on a shelf a few 
inches from the glass, and keep them well furnished 
with water. When the foliage is about 3 in. high 
begin to feed them gently. If they are making satis¬ 
factory growth, and are timing for Christmas, be 
content. If they are slow in moving on, a slightly 
warmer house must be accorded. It is surprising 
the amount of nourishment and heat that real good 
corms will appreciably make use of. 
Most of the other forcing bulbs, including Amaryl¬ 
lis, may be potted up now. Neriums or Oleanders 
may be fetched indoors if they have been growing in 
the open air. Wash the pots and plants and top dress 
if need be. Keep them in a cool house for five 
weeks. Shift on and by all means keep clean the 
young plants of Daedalac.anthus nervosus, also 
called Eranthemum pulchellum. Young Plumbago 
capensis in pots should be pinched to make them 
throw out lateral shoots which will flower later. 
The shading, if any has been used, may be 
removed from the Croton and Dracaena house. 
All plants out of doors which are meant to lift 
and pot for the greenhouse such as Violets, Eupator- 
iums, Cinerarias, Salvias, Heliotropes, &c., may be 
potted at the present time. Stake and pinch the 
Salvias or Eupatoriums if they are in need of it, 
and keep all of them in a cool and shaded part in 
the open air for some time. Young Mignonette 
plants in pots should be placed on cool shelves in a 
greenhouse, and must be carefully watered, staked, 
and top-dressed or potted on, as the case may be. 
Gloxinias and Begonias should shortly be dried off. 
—J. H. D. 
■ ■«<— - 
NARCISSUS RUGILOBUS. 
This trumpet Daffodil was originally described by 
Haworth as a species. In the days of that botanist 
they made species of plants, differing only to a very 
small extent from others, because they believed in 
the immutability of plant forms. In more recent 
Group of Barr’s Spanish Irises. 
